deadwooding

[Mountain man]

It is, of course , a great job for the less experienced, no large sections coming out, no shaping to get wrong, lots of planning of how to get around a tree. You can't really get it wrong.

I had to do a largish oak this week and I hated it. Scrabbling out to get that piece on the end. Fair knackered me out. As you say GG an underwhelmed customer at the end.

[Joe Newton]

The difference between removing major deadwood (anything potentially dangerous) and total removal of every dead twig on the tips is vast.

 

Make sure you clarify this to the client, and offer a price for both options. Most won't want to pay the extra, but if you don't stipulate the difference in your quote you may be expected to remove the 5mm twigs!

[Ty Korrigan]

Hello,

We've been asked to quote for a major deadwooding project for a local restaurant set in the grounds of a manor house at the end of a long drive double lined with 90 very large and mature limes.

Many stems in decline or indeed dead. The crowns are very thick, skinny, slippery and infact identifying the dead wood is near impossible from the ground.

After any reasonable blow the driveway is littered with fallen branches of all sizes.

Recently a clients car was damaged at night by falling dead wood, a proper life or death near miss in fact.

Difficulty for the owners is affording the work.

Crowns are too large an thick for a MEWP to be used to access the entire crown.

Access is difficult/impossible on the other side of the trees.

A MEWP would be an advantage in placing climbers into the crown though.

 

We are aware that if we did win this quote and that if we missed some deadwood and this fell causing damage or injury, then we would ourselves may be liable. Also, just how long do you guarantee your work for?

There are clear legal obligations for owners to take care of trees and to take reasonable care to ensure they are safe but what do you do when you cannot afford the work?

 

Anyway, our quote is/seems outrageous when you look at the quantity of wood to be removed but it is still 2 weeks work.

We have advised the restaurant owner to talk with the owners of the manor as such a project may well require doing again in 5 years time.

 

Ty

[jaime bray]

The extent of works for dead wooding is often the key aspect.

 

As a rule of thumb, I say within written spec, dw over 25mm as minor dead wood, and dw over 50mm as major. The extent to which is specified is based on, budget, species, target and also amount dw present. I also consider the condition of tree, if it is in decline and offering 'bio diversity benefits, I try and educate the client to see the value in dw retention for ecological reasons.

 

In this circumstance I'd be looking to price as job rather than day rate. Pending what your hourly rate is, will determine this figure.

 

Deadwooding is one of those pricing jobs where your knowledge of tree treatment benefits (off which there are few for carrying out pruning a naturally growing object) and how you convey that knowledge etc to the client will secure you adequate costs/quotes being accepted. Hasten to add, that is my experience of it, and not gospel

Edited April 4, 2015 by jaime bray

[Mountain man]

Hello,

We've been asked to quote for a major deadwooding project for a local restaurant set in the grounds of a manor house at the end of a long drive double lined with 90 very large and mature limes.

Many stems in decline or indeed dead. The crowns are very thick, skinny, slippery and infact identifying the dead wood is near impossible from the ground.

After any reasonable blow the driveway is littered with fallen branches of all sizes.

Recently a clients car was damaged at night by falling dead wood, a proper life or death near miss in fact.

Difficulty for the owners is affording the work.

Crowns are too large an thick for a MEWP to be used to access the entire crown.

Access is difficult/impossible on the other side of the trees.

A MEWP would be an advantage in placing climbers into the crown though.

 

We are aware that if we did win this quote and that if we missed some deadwood and this fell causing damage or injury, then we would ourselves may be liable. Also, just how long do you guarantee your work for?

There are clear legal obligations for owners to take care of trees and to take reasonable care to ensure they are safe but what do you do when you cannot afford the work?

 

Anyway, our quote is/seems outrageous when you look at the quantity of wood to be removed but it is still 2 weeks work.

We have advised the restaurant owner to talk with the owners of the manor as such a project may well require doing again in 5 years time.

 

Ty

Go for a lift and thin at the same time, makes life easier and quicker for the climber, trees look better, customer is happier.

My 2 cents worth.

[Gary Prentice]

I'd start doing a bit of research into managing avenues. If the trees are reaching the end of their lives, brutal as it may seem, replacement may be the best option. A cost benefit analysis of deadwooding every few years to manage a declining tree population against the value of timber and biomass chip may be surprising.

 

Brian crane has some good articles on line.

[Ty Korrigan]

Cheers for the 2 cents worth:001_smile:

You've reason there, might not even make much more work overall and the client would see more for their coin.

 

I would say here getting the owner of the estate to accept preventative tree work will be a battle.

The restaurant is only the lease holder and has inherited this problem although they were unware of the potential issues with the trees when they took on the business.

My gut feeling is sadly that neither the owner of the estate nor the business within the manor are going to agree on who should stump up the funds required.

For the restaurant, the tree lined avenue sets the scene as clients arrive.

It's also a venue for weddings and conferences.

The least expensive option is to simply close off this entrance and use another.

This is exactly what a British client near Loudeac Central Brittany opted for, padlocking the main gate and using the 'tradesmans' entrance instead.

Just a question of funds.

 

Ty

[Ty Korrigan]

I'd start doing a bit of research into managing avenues. If the trees are reaching the end of their lives, brutal as it may seem, replacement may be the best option. A cost benefit analysis of deadwooding every few years to manage a declining tree population against the value of timber and biomass chip may be surprising.

 

Brian crane has some good articles on line.

 

Oh yes, I'd love to fell it all for biomass now we've the machine sorted and market for it confirmed!

Sadly, it's a picture postcard, background stage setting which no-one wants to change the character of...BLEH!

 

Ty

[Gary Prentice]

Oh yes, I'd love to fell it all for biomass now we've the machine sorted and market for it confirmed!

Sadly, it's a picture postcard, background stage setting which no-one wants to change the character of...BLEH!

 

Ty

 

Thats why I suggested doing some research. It's difficult to sell a long term tree management program, but if you read through my thread about Burleigh house it shows some good young avenues.

 

Managing stuff that's past its best is difficult, but gapping up avenues doesn't really work, as I've tried to show in some of the pictures. If the job is nearer to be self funding, you may be in with a chance.

[Marc Lewis]

Thats it!! Need a carving thread I s'pose.

 

If you have carried out the work (deadwooding) correctly then i would think that neither you, the restaurant or the land owner would be held liable should something happen to a clients car, as they have taken reasonable effort to prevent this from happening and may/could/should then be seen as an 'act of god'. Though i do not know how things works in France.